Dust-excluding device for shelving



June 26, 1923. 1,460,089

A. M. WOLTZ DUST EXCLUDING DEVICE FOR SHELVING Filed Dec. 11, 1918 2 sheets-sheet 1 June 26, 1923. 1,460,089

A. -M. WOLTZ DUSfI EXCLUDING DEVICE FOR SHELVING Filed Dec. 11, 1918 2 Sheets-She't Mfg, La

Patented June 2%, 1923..

ALBERT M. WOLTZ, 03E BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOE, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO LEON W. HIMMELISADOE HIMMEIJ, AND JEANNETTE HIMMEL, COPAB-TNERS,

TRADING as in. LYHIMMEL a; son, or BALTIMORE, arrii riiann.

DUST-EXCLUDING DEVICE FOR SHELVIhl'G.

Application filed December 11, 1918. Serial 110,266,240.

2 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Amma M. WoLrz, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bah timore, in the county of Baltimore City and 5 State of lifiaryland, have invented anew and useful Dust-Excluding Device for Shelving, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a device for protecting the contents of store shelving and the like.

of piece goods, the problem lot protecting the merchandise from dust is a serious one. Owing to the fact thatit is necessary to fre quently handle large bolts of cloth, the common practice is to store the bolts in open shelving, thereby exposing delicate, fabrics to contamination by dust andothe-r impurities, and in many instances where the shelves are closeto the floor, there is risk oi spoiling expensive merchandise by carelessness of cleaners in splashing water'wh'ile scrubbing the contiguous portions of the floor. In many stores it is customary to drape dust-protecting; curtains in front of the shelving at the close of business hours, but this method is merely a makeshift be cause the curtains do not fit closely to the shelving and they are not waterproof.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide simple means whereby a dustproot and waterproof curtain may be employed to protect the goods on store shelving. A. further object is to provide means whereby the curtain may be held closeto the front of the shelving when extended, and. conveniently stored out of the way when not in use.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating store shelving with the invention applied thereto. Figure 2 is a horizontalsectional view. Figures 3 and 4 are detail views of the device for retaining the curtain in ex tended position.

Referring to the drawing, 10, 10, designate the end walls of stacks of shelves, the end walls of each stack having means, such as cleats 11, for supporting; shelves 12, Each stack of shelves is supported upon a base 13, provided with a chamber 14, having a removable cover 15, said cover being held in In that class of stores which carry stock position in suitable manner, such as by screws 16. The stacks may be constructed on the unit system or a single unit, ac

cording to PFG'JHGTQDCQ, and the end walls of adjacent stacks are separated by spaces 17, said spaces being covered at the front of the shelving by pilasters 18, orothersuitable ornamental members. Secured tothe mnerfaces of the end walls 10,-bySuitable means such as screws 19, con-- ti uous to the front edges thereof, are upit gu de strips 20, provided with longi tudinal guide channels 22.

Rotatably mounted in the chamber 14, is roller 23, controlled by a spring (not shown) in a manner similar to the well- 1 known curtain shade roller, andlsecured to said roller at one end, is a curtain 24 of any preferred waterproof and dustproof material. The said end of the curtain is so attached to the rollerfthat the action of the spring will tend to wind the curtainupon the roller, the outer end of the curtain being attached in suitable manner to a lifting block 25. As shown, the end. of the curtain is extended intoan angular recessin the block 25 and clamped in place by'means of a cleat 26, secured in position by screws 27.

The litting'block 25 is provided with guide flanges 28 extending into the channels 22, and the curtain 18 of sufficient width to permit its edges to also extend into said ('llfi'fl "nels. It w ll be observed from the drawing that when the curtain is wrapped around the roller 23, the block 25 is in its lowermost poi-Y sition with its upper edge approximately flush with the top surface of the cover15,

the block erktendinp; downwardly over the front of the tchamber 14,

sired manner, and upward movement of said block is limited by the top of the case.

Attached to the top of each stack of shelving, is a plate 29 provided with a depending;

v I y y The downward movement of the block is limited in any deheaded stud 30. The upper end of the lift ing block is cut away to provide a recess 31, which is covered by an angle plate 82, both members of which are slotted, as indicated at The lifting block is also provided with a handle 34:. A guide 35 for the curtain is also provided.

In operation, the roller 23 with the curtain 24inormally wrapped thereabout, is located within the chamber 1 1, the cover 15 being removable topermit of the installation of the roller through the top of the chamber, and also to permit ready access for purpose of repair and examination. When it is desired to extend the curtain, the operator grasps the handle 34: and raises the block 25 to the top of the" stack, and

' causes the stud 30 to enter the recess 31 through the slot 33 in the horizontal member of the angle plate32, the upward movement of the block causing the curtain to unroll and extend over the front of the stack. A slight forward movement of the block 25 will then cause the head of the stud to project through the slot 33 in the vertical member of the angle-plate 32, the

' engagement thus effected serving to prevent separation of the block 25 and the stud 80, whereby the curtain is maintained .in extended relation in opposition to the tensionof the spring roller 23. In this manner a dustproof and waterproof closure for the open shelving is provided, not only because the curtain extends over the front of the shelving, but also because the edges of the curtain extend into the channels 22. lVhen it isdesired to exposethe shelving, the block 25 is disengaged from the stud 30 by a rearward movement of the block, therenerof constructing and using the same, al-.

though without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its, use, what is claimed is 1. Ina'dust excluding structure for store furniture the combination of shelving consisting of a display portion and a supporting base, said base having an opening in the front portion thereof, a. spring actuated roller mounted within the normally useless space enclosed by said base, a. dust excluding curtain connected at one end to said rollerand extended through said opening, a lifting block secured to the other end of the curtain and closing said opening when the curtain is in rolled condition, means carried by the display portion for guiding said lifting block, and means at the top of the display portion for engaging said lifting block to hold the curtain extended over said display portion. 7

2. In a dust excluding structure for store furniture the combination of shelving consisting of a display portion and a supporting base, said base having an opening in the front portion thereof, the end walls of said display portion having guide channels, a spring actuated roller mounted within the normally useless space enclosed by said base, a dust excluding curtain connected at one end to said roller, a lifting block engaging the other end of said curtain and shaped to close said opening when the curtain is'in rolled condition, the ends of said lifting block engaging said guide channels, and

means at the, top ofthe display portion for engaging the lifting block to hold-the curtain extended over said display portion.

3. In a dust excluding structure for store I furniture the combination of shelving comprising a display portion and a supporting base, said base providing a normally closed chamber, a removable cover for said chamber, spring actuated roller mounted within said chamber, a dust excluding curtain connected at one end of said roller, said chant ALBERT M. wonra 

